1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a watering apparatus which allows access to an outside watering system by an animal confined in a cage, while maintaining the isolation barrier, and has an outlet for the removal of bedding stuffed in the area surrounding the water supply by the animal, thereby preventing the water valve from becoming clogged or from leaking into the cage.
2. Related Prior Art
Watering devices for supplying water from an outside system to an animal confined in a cage are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,088 describes an animal cage assembly having an outside watering manifold for mounting on an aperture in the cage to supply an animal with water. The cage is disconnected from and reconnected to the watering system without destroying the integrity of the biologically isolated cage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,632 describes a water dispenser for feeding animals having a support casing supplied with water, a water feed tube supported by the support casing, a poppet valve in the support casing to control water flow, and a guard tube supported by the support casing and extending into the cage to encompass the water feed tube. The free end part of the guard tube supports a drip trough having a bottom wall sloping downward from the inside of the cage toward the outside. Excess water dripping from the end of the water feed tube is caught by the trough and flows to the outside of the cage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,672 describes a water dispenser which has a water feed tube and a feed control member for regulating the flow of water. Water is supplied automatically to the animal. Since the end wall of the cylindrical portion of the valve seat member engages with the circumferential wall of the water feed tube, leakage of water is completely prevented. Any excess water drips downward from the inner end of the feed tube onto the lower part of the interior of the guard tube and flows out of the guard tube through a drain hole at a point outside the cage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,147 describes an automatic fluid dispenser which dispenses fluid only at predetermined periods of time. A drain is provided to remove the water rapidly from the system through an outlet valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,377 describes an automatic watering system for animals confined in cages. A sealing ring on the inner surface of the watering tube prevents leakage of any water past the watering tube.
Other patent references of general interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,518,971 and 3,752,124 which describe an inverted water bottle inserted through the top of a cage for supplying water to an animal.